KBEM

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Recognized as the Twin Cities’ public radio voice for jazz and education, KBEM is a program of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Approximately 150 students annually participate in KBEM’s hands-on educational program, which focuses on all aspects of broadcasting and production. Students who develop their skills and select broadcasting experience can gain significant on-air time. The station is on-air 24/7 with 35 hours of student programming each week, with live professional announcers and pre-recorded, syndicated programming filling out the rest of the schedule. KBEM is the only station in the Twin Cities market which offers a jazz format and officially provides MN-DOT traffic reports.

KBEM was initially established at Minneapolis Vocational High School in the 1960s. The station was moved to North High School in 1983 as a part of the District’s desegregation initiative and it continues to reside there today. The vast majority of KBEM students attend North High School.

Series

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62 Pieces

Minneapolis High School Students, with the help of a team of educators and poets, were encouraged to write poetry. The poems created by the students are in some cases hard-hitting, and in others, cute.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 13, 2014
Caption: Susan Spongberg, Credit: Frank T. Heffelfinger III
9 Pieces

Minnesota Creates is curious about how creativity occurs, so Susan Spongberg asked an assortment of Minnesota artists how do you choreography a dance? Where do your novel’s characters come from? How do you decide what to paint?

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jan 14, 2014
Caption: Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, Credit: Jim Davis
7 Pieces

Minnesota has many wonderful jazz musicians, still playing well into their 80's. Minnesota Jazz Legends: The Elders, features live and in studio performances and interviews, talking about their careers in the Twin Cities from early on to present.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Nov 11, 2021
Caption: Jazz 88 FM, Credit: http://www.jazz88fm.com
15 Pieces

Minnesota Music Moment is a weekly feature of KBEM FM 88.5, each week highlighting a different Minnesota musician.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Feb 25, 2011
Caption: KBEM logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
424 Pieces

Each item in the series tells how a musicians is inspired, how s/he works, their goals and intents for their work; in general, how each gets motivation and follows through with a creative project.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 09, 2015
Caption: Arne Fogel, Credit: John Whiting
65 Pieces

Minnesota Voices-Certain Standards Minnesota Vocalists perform new renditions of the Great American Songbook. Arne Fogel-Host

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Oct 31, 2012
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2 Pieces

In a world and time of differences, music has the power to bring us together, to unite us through a shared experience. Music knows no boundaries. It transcends that which keeps us apart. Join Jazz88 for an evening of discovery with Music Without Borders.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Sep 04, 2019
Caption: Bobb Fantauzzo performing with Lyz Jaakola, Credit: Andrea Canter
18 Pieces

Native flute player Bobb Fantauzzo illuminates the contributions made by jazz musicians with Native American heritage.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 19, 2016
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4 Pieces

Butch Thompson's Piano Bench Show looks at the piano stylings of the early performers of jazz.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Jul 14, 2011
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0 Pieces

Perspectives relating to Minnesota culture, history and the arts contributed by Minneapolis high school students.

  • From: KBEM
  • Updated: Apr 04, 2010

Latest Pieces

Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
What does a jazz orchestra want to do? It wants to play for dancers, that’s what. We go on location to one of the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra’s monthl...

  • Added: Jun 01, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jazz 88 logo, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
What does a jazz orchestra want to do? It wants to play for dancers, that’s what. We go on location next to one of the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra’s m...

  • Added: Jun 01, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Sawtooth Bros, Credit: Scott Ward
The Sawtooth Bros band members are in their young 20s, and have been playing together half their lives. The group started out playing traditional b...

  • Added: May 31, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Sawtooth Bros, Credit: Scot Ward
The Sawtooth Bros band members are in their young 20s, and have been playing together half their lives. They play in the Hilde Performance Center i...

  • Added: May 31, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Rhonda Laurie, Credit: Daniel J Moore
Minneapolis Jazz singer Rhonda Laurie is all about emotion. And she’s singing at Vieux Carre in Saint Paul on Wednesday Aug 30 from 8 till 11. In a...

  • Added: May 30, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Loring Park Music Festival Logo, Credit: Chris Thompson
This coming Saturday marks the return of the Loring Park Music Festival, staged by the Citizens for a Loring Park Community. The Festival runs from...

  • Added: May 30, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: City Counselor, Credit: Aaron Rice
You expect pop songs to relate to romance. But not so with City Counselor. Nicky talked to Phil Nusbaum about the inspiration for City Counselor ...

  • Added: May 27, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: City Counselor, Credit: Aaron Rice
You expect pop songs to relate to romance. But not so with City Counselor. The group plays at the Walker Arts center in Minneapolis during the eve...

  • Added: May 27, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jelloslave, Credit: Cameron Wittig
Minneapolis Cellists Jacqueline Ultan and Michelle Kinney had heard of each other for years. When they finally met, they discovered musical similar...

  • Added: May 25, 2018
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Jelloslave, Credit: Cameron Wittig
After Minneapolis cellists Jacqueline Ultey and Michelle Kinney met after having heard of each other for years, they discovered musical similaritie...

  • Added: May 25, 2018
  • Length: 08:00